New York: Madame Tussauds and Big Bus Hop-on Hop-off Tour

New York packs two very different experiences into this $99 bundle: a five-floor celebrity playground at Madame Tussauds and an open-top ride through Lower Manhattan. You can pose with Lady Gaga, Whitney Houston, Audrey Hepburn, and Marvel heroes, then use the Big Bus to reach places such as Wall Street, Battery Park, and the 9/11 Memorial.

I like two things here. First, the bus gives you a simple way to cover a lot of ground without paying for several taxis or rideshares. Second, Madame Tussauds offers more than rows of wax figures, with Broadway scenes, The Tonight Show, a Marvel 4D show, and a New York Fashion Week runway.

The main limitation is scope: the bus ticket covers the Downtown Loop, not every Big Bus route in New York, and the Statue of Liberty and Empire State Building are sightseeing stops rather than entry tickets. Plan your day around the bus schedule and activate the voucher correctly before heading to the museum.

Key points to know before booking

• Madame Tussauds fills 85,000 square feet: Allow time for five floors of figures, themed rooms, photo opportunities, and interactive sets.
• The Downtown Loop takes about 90 minutes: It passes Times Square, SoHo, Little Italy, Chinatown, Battery Park, Wall Street, and the Financial District.
• You get 13 hop-on hop-off stops: Buses arrive about every 10 to 15 minutes, so you can build your own sightseeing day.
• The Statue of Liberty is a viewing stop: The package does not include a ferry ride or admission to the statue.
• The bundle saves 10 percent: That makes the package most useful if you already plan to visit both attractions.
• Redeem with Big Bus before Madame Tussauds: This small step matters, since the voucher must be activated with Big Bus staff first.

Two New York days in one ticket

This package works best as a practical pairing rather than as one continuous guided tour. Madame Tussauds is fixed in Times Square, while the Big Bus route gives you a broad view of Lower Manhattan. You decide how much time to spend inside the museum and where to leave the bus.

The ticket is valid for one day from first activation. That means you should avoid activating it casually if you are not ready to use both parts of the package. Once active, you have a 24-hour Big Bus ticket, but the stated package duration is one day, so treat this as a single sightseeing day rather than a pass for several dates.

There is no hotel pickup or drop-off. You make your own way to Times Square or to a Big Bus stop. The setup is simple, but it rewards a little planning.

Madame Tussauds in Times Square

Madame Tussauds sits in the middle of Times Square, making it easy to pair with other Midtown plans. Inside, the museum spreads across 85,000 square feet and five floors, so this is not a quick room with a handful of figures. You will find music stars, film actors, sports names, political figures, and other famous faces arranged in themed settings.

The best part is the chance to pose rather than simply look. You can stand beside Lady Gaga, Whitney Houston, Lionel Messi, Audrey Hepburn, and members of the Kardashians. The value depends on your interest in pop culture, but the photo opportunities give the visit a clear purpose, especially for families and groups who enjoy taking pictures together.

Some areas feel more like small sets than a traditional museum display. You can step into Broadway scenes, sit beside Jimmy Fallon on The Tonight Show, and take part in the Oval Office setting. The New York Fashion Week section lets you walk a runway during the Glow Gala experience.

These details make the museum more active than a standard wax collection. You are not just moving from figure to figure. You are choosing scenes and poses, which can stretch the visit well beyond what you might expect from the name alone.

Marvel Super Heroes 4D

The package includes the Marvel Super Heroes 4D Experience. This is a separate attraction within Madame Tussauds and adds a short, theatrical element to the museum visit.

You can expect a Marvel-themed setting with superhero figures and a 4D presentation. The supplied details do not specify the running time or exact effects, so I would treat it as an included bonus rather than build your whole schedule around it.

Marvel fans should make a point of finding this section. If your group has mixed interests, it also breaks up the music, film, fashion, and political displays with a different kind of entertainment.

Riding the Downtown Loop

The Big Bus uses an open-top double-decker, giving you a higher view than a normal city bus. On a clear day, the upper deck is the obvious place for broad views and photographs. The tradeoff is exposure to the weather, while the lower deck gives you a more sheltered option.

The Downtown Loop takes about 90 minutes if you stay aboard for the full circuit. It includes 13 stops and covers a useful part of Lower Manhattan. Buses are scheduled about every 10 to 15 minutes, so you are not locked into one long ride after getting off.

That frequency is important. You can use the first circuit to learn the route, leave the bus at a stop that interests you, and catch a later bus when you are ready. The digital commentary provides information about New York in English, Spanish, French, German, Portuguese, and Italian. The driver speaks English.

The Big Bus app adds route information and live bus tracking. I would download it before you set out, then use it to check the next bus rather than guessing at the curb. You can also use the app to add your booking and activate the ticket.

Times Square and the starting point

The package begins conveniently near Madame Tussauds, but your Big Bus ticket can be activated at any stop on the route. Big Bus staff can also help at 7th Avenue and West 48th Street, outside M&M’s World.

Times Square is a useful starting point if you want to visit the museum first. It is also a busy place to organize your day, so have your booking reference ready and know whether you are using the app or a voucher.

The order matters. You must redeem the voucher with Big Bus staff before visiting Madame Tussauds. Do not assume that showing an unused voucher at the museum is enough. The cleanest plan is to activate with Big Bus staff at the designated Times Square location, then enter the museum.

From SoHo to Little Italy

The Downtown Loop gives you a quick look at several neighborhoods that would take longer to connect on foot. SoHo is known for its cast-iron architecture and shopping streets, while Little Italy and Chinatown offer a change in street life and food culture.

The bus does not replace walking through these areas. It gives you a way to see their position within the city and choose one or two stops for a closer look. If you hop off in Little Italy or Chinatown, leave enough time for the next bus and use the app to watch its location.

The route is especially useful if you want an overview before committing to a walking plan. You can see several districts in one circuit instead of spending the whole morning navigating subway connections.

Wall Street, the Charging Bull, and Battery Park

The Financial District brings the city’s business center into the itinerary. You can hop off near Wall Street and walk to the Charging Bull for a familiar New York photo. Battery Park is also on the Downtown Loop and gives you a different setting at the southern tip of Manhattan.

This section works well after the museum because it changes the pace completely. Times Square is built around signs, shows, and celebrity culture. Lower Manhattan offers older streets, financial landmarks, and waterfront views.

The Charging Bull is a photo stop rather than a long visit. Wall Street and Battery Park are better suited to a short walk, so use your bus ticket to connect them without paying for separate transport.

The Statue of Liberty viewpoint

The route includes the Statue of Liberty among its major sights, but this package does not include a ferry or admission ticket. You should think of the bus as a way to see and photograph the statue from the city side, not as a ticket to Liberty Island.

That distinction matters when you compare prices. If standing on the island is a priority, you will need a separate arrangement. If you mainly want to include the Statue of Liberty in a broad New York sightseeing day, the Big Bus route can cover that viewpoint without adding another tour.

Brooklyn Bridge and One World Trade Center

The bus also takes you past the Brooklyn Bridge and One World Trade Center. Both are strong reasons to choose the route if you want a city overview with recognizable sights rather than a museum-only day.

The Brooklyn Bridge is best appreciated from a viewpoint or nearby street, while crossing it on foot requires its own time and plan. The bus lets you see it as part of the wider city, but it does not turn the bridge into a walking tour.

One World Trade Center provides a modern counterpoint to the older parts of Lower Manhattan. The package includes sightseeing around the area, not entry to the tower. You should not expect an observation deck ticket or a timed visit to be part of the $99 price.

The 9/11 Memorial and a respectful pause

The Downtown Loop includes the 9/11 Memorial. This is one of the most meaningful stops on the route, and I would avoid treating it as just another quick photo opportunity.

You can hop off to pay your respects and spend time in the area before continuing by bus. The tour provides transportation to the sight, but it does not list museum admission or a guided memorial visit as part of the package.

That makes the stop flexible, but also places the responsibility on you to set the right pace. If the memorial is a main reason for visiting Lower Manhattan, give it more time than the standard loop commentary can provide.

What the $99 price really buys

At $99 per person, this is not the cheapest way to see New York if you only want one brief attraction. It becomes more convincing when you plan to visit both Madame Tussauds and use the bus for several stops.

The package advertises a 10 percent saving compared with buying the activities together at retail prices. You also get Marvel Super Heroes 4D, the open-top bus, multilingual commentary, and app-based tracking. Since separate ticket prices can change, compare the current individual prices if you are deciding mainly on cost.

The strongest value comes from flexibility. You can avoid several short rides between Midtown and Lower Manhattan, then choose your own stops. A single loop without getting off gives you an overview, but the bundle earns its price more easily when you leave the bus at Wall Street, Battery Park, the 9/11 Memorial, or another stop.

One verified booking described the bus as a good way to move around the city without paying for multiple rideshares. That is exactly the practical strength of this package. Another useful point is that Madame Tussauds offers more to see than its name may suggest, so do not allow only a few minutes for the museum.

A sensible way to plan the day

Start by downloading the Big Bus app and adding your booking reference. If you prefer help in person, redeem the voucher with Big Bus staff outside M&M’s World at 7th Avenue and West 48th Street.

Next, visit Madame Tussauds while you are already in Times Square. Give yourself enough time for the five floors, photo scenes, Marvel 4D, Broadway areas, and fashion runway. The exact time you need depends on how many photos you take, but rushing would defeat the point of the attraction.

Afterward, board the Downtown Loop and stay on for an overview or hop off at the part of Lower Manhattan that interests you most. Wall Street, the Charging Bull, Battery Park, the 9/11 Memorial, and the Brooklyn Bridge area all offer different reasons to leave the bus.

Keep the app open as you move between stops. Buses arrive every 10 to 15 minutes, but your actual wait depends on traffic and the stop where you are standing.

Who should book this package?

I would recommend it to first-time New York visitors who want a broad introduction without arranging separate transport for every sight. It also suits families, pop culture fans, and anyone who values easy photo opportunities.

It is less suitable if you want a small-group guide, a detailed walking tour, or admission to the Statue of Liberty, Empire State Building, One World Trade Center, or 9/11 Museum. Those places appear as sights along the route, but the listed inclusions do not cover their interior tickets.

It also may not suit you if you dislike staged celebrity attractions. Madame Tussauds is built around wax figures, themed sets, and playful photos. Its appeal is strongest when you enjoy that format.

Should you book it?

Book this bundle if you want Madame Tussauds and a flexible Lower Manhattan sightseeing ride on the same day. The combination is easy to understand, the 10 percent package saving helps, and the bus can replace several paid rides between major areas.

Skip it if you only want a serious historical tour or if your main goal is entering the Statue of Liberty, Empire State Building, or One World Trade Center. For the right kind of day, though, this is a useful New York sampler: celebrity photos in Times Square, then a broad look at the city from an open-top bus.

FAQ

How long is the Big Bus ticket valid?

The ticket is valid for 24 hours from first activation. The activity itself is presented as a one-day experience.

Which Big Bus route is included?

The package includes the Downtown Loop, a circuit that takes about 90 minutes and has 13 stops.

Does the ticket include entry to the Statue of Liberty?

No. The Statue of Liberty is included as a sight along the bus route, but ferry transportation and admission are not included.

How do I activate the Big Bus ticket?

You can add your booking reference in the Big Bus app, then press Activate on the day of travel. You can also redeem the voucher with Big Bus staff at 7th Avenue and West 48th Street outside M&M’s World, or with a driver at any route stop.

Do I need to redeem the voucher before visiting Madame Tussauds?

Yes. The voucher must be redeemed with Big Bus staff before you visit Madame Tussauds.

Is the experience wheelchair accessible?

Yes. The activity is listed as wheelchair accessible.